PIA Press ReleaseMonday, January 09, 2012

QUEZON CITY, Jan 9 (PIA) —- Starting January 16, all bus drivers in the country must receive a fixed salary and must work for only eight hours a day, the Land Transportation Franchising & Regulatory Board (LTFRB) ordered.

Lawyer Manuel Iway, a member of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB), said the granting of regular salaries, instead of a percentage of the day’s earnings, is required under a memorandum circular they issued last Jan. 3.

The new rule is in line with efforts of government to provide better service to the public by improving the working conditions of public utility vehicle employees.

In a statement, Iway said the circular was a joint effort and based on a memorandum of agreement among LTFRB, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Transportation and Communications, and Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.

Iway added that the circular specifies a compensation package that will also give bus drivers security of tenure, plus coverage under Social Security System, Pag-ibig Fund, and Philippine Health Corp.

Under the LTFRB’s new rules, drivers and conductors should not be allowed to work more than eight hours every day to ensure that they are well-rested while on the job.

Their salaries should also be “above minimum wage,” the rule stated. The minimum wage in Metro Manila ranges from P389 to P426 per day, depending on the establishment.

And like all employees in other industries, bus drivers and conductors should now be entitled to a 13th-month bonus.

Iway said the abolition of the commission system would also eliminate competition among drivers for passengers, which usually results in reckless road behavior.

Bus companies were given six months to submit compliance reports to the LTFRB that should include a list of the company’s payroll and how much each employee is getting paid.

Companies that fail to submit these reports face the cancellation of their franchise, Iway said. (LTFRB/RJB-PIA NCR)